Dave Franklin
Musician, scribbler, historian, gnostic, seeker of enlightenment, asker of the wrong questions, delver into the lost archives, fugitive from the law of averages, blogger, quantum spanner, left footed traveller, music journalist, zenarchist, freelance writer, reviewer and gemini. People have woken up to worse.
Gloom – Cabbage Patch Kill Dolls (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
There is something about the repetitiveness of the lyrics and the restlessness of the music that sets up an inherent tension at the heart...
The lost art of making friends – Messy Eater (reviewed by...
'The lost art of making friends' makes for a cool song title, but it also gets to the heart of one of the problems...
Fire in the Master’s House – Sheykh Forever (reviewed by Dave...
As always, as you head into anything Sheykh Forever releases, I find myself shedding many trappings – musical expectations, the caress of sonic comfort...
Blue Alchemy – Catie Turner (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
Catie Turner has certainly done a fair few miles in the music industry in the not-quite-a-decade since she caught the public imagination opening the...
The Highs and The Low: a conversation with Sean Kiely about...
With his latest album Long Live the Low now out, a tour lined up, and memories of sharing stages with some iconic names still...
HISTORY is written by the winners: A chat with the band...
HISTORY has made a name for themselves by taking classic Swedish songs and reworking them in their own inimitable rock and roll style. I...
It’s The Sky – Diver Through (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
Something slightly ragged and wonderfully real about ‘It’s The Sky,’ the opening track of Diver Through’s latest EP, I Want to be Disrupted. And...
Rose Marie – August Benjamin (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
At a time when anything that even remotely whiffs of a rootsy sound is suddenly branded Americana by gatekeeping tastemakers and pointless pigeonholers, this...
Stars – Waves Crashing (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
As they gear up for their first UK tour in November, Waves Crashing have dropped a cool new single to get you in the...
Light in the Dark – Eau the Music (reviewed by Dave...
Light in the Dark, the debut album from Eau the Music, plays with a sound formed where so many worlds collide, where so many...
Signal – Beranger (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
It’s been a while since Beranger crossed my path. I remember him as one half of a duo playing to not-insignificant crowds in Berlin...
Ozark Moon – Jonivan Jones (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
There is something old, honest and authentic about the music found on these two tracks that make up Jonivan Jones new offering, something at...
Midnight (to Track) – St. Divine (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
Being in a band gives you a platform most people don’t have, whether you’re playing to mass festival crowds or 30 people at a...
What I’ve Been Missing – Talk in Code (reviewed by Dave...
Everything sounds like something else. That is not a criticism; it’s just the way it is: there are only so many notes, keys, and...
The Usual Suspects: A conversation with Dave MacKinnon of The Early...
With the debut album about to drop, it was the perfect time to sit down with The Early Swerve’s main man, Dave MacKinnon and...
Eyes Wide Open – Molly Warburton (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
Pop music has picked up a bit of a reputation in recent years, and not necessarily a good one. Thanks to a string of...
Hey Man. Amen – Thousand Pieces (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
There is something that I can’t quite put my finger on here; I’m not sure what it is, but something about ‘Hey Man. Amen’...
Fateful Ski Trip – The Grey and Purple Songbook (reviewed by...
I have to say, anything that reminds me of that mid-seventies run of classic albums that propelled Jethro Tull to become arguably one of...
Haunt You – French Inhaler (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
Grassroots music scenes: those small yet vital cultural oases in a sea of conformity, comfort zoning, and passionless mediocrity are always more than the...
You loved the cage – Spinors (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
You gotta love Spinors, I mean, any band that looks like a bunch of steampunk anarchists and sounds like they have taken all the...
Fix This Mess – Rebecca Aadland (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
‘Fix This Mess’ isn’t a political song, but it gets to the heart of how we begin the healing process in this increasingly divided...
Broken Drum – MUTE TV (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
Relationships are never easy, from the most transient to those dear to us, from the fleeting to the most fundamental, they all have the...
Folk Kitchen – Franc Cinelli (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
Franc Cinelli has been on an interesting journey since our paths last crossed, including making albums of a more ambient, soundscaping nature and music...
Glass Walls – Deadlight Dance (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
If you know something about the guys behind Deadlight Dance, you will find subliminal messages and suggestive symbolism throughout Glass Walls. If you aren’t...
Love You More – The Crystal Teardrop (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
They say that you should never judge a book by its cover. But sometimes you certainly can. Cast your eye over the cover of...
Forever Remember – Euplasia (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
I guess that we are so far down the road from Britpop that artists inspired by that sound are now considered knowledgeable nostalgists rather...
Only Human – Tallulah Rendall (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
In a world full of noise and self-importance, physical hustle, and ego-driven bustle, you have to admire how Tallulah Rendall quietly goes about her...
Maybe Love’s A Crime – DownTown Mystic (reviewed by Dave...
I look forward to those moments when music from Downtown Mystic slides out of the review pile, engages with my ear, and slips under...
Reclaimation – Lurleen Ladd (reviewed by Dave Frankin)
Artists might write songs for very personal and individual reasons, as a way of sharing experiences and thoughts or perhaps to exorcise demons or...
The Grey – Cassandra Cole (reviewed by Dave Franklin)
The opening track of this new EP from Cassandra Cole, ‘Where’s The Grey?’, not only sets a musical tone for what’s to follow with...
